Policy
Last-minute planning reform updates aim to thwart local ‘blockers’
Government says it is 'serious about cutting red tape to get Britain building again,' unveiling new call-in powers & a 'helping hand' for developments mired in legal reviews.
Stamp Duty ‘should be abolished as part of a wholesale reform of property taxation’
'SDLT certainly should not be increased,' declares an in-depth new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and 'a well-designed tax system would have no place for SDLT at all.'
Abrahmsohn: Will we see a Christmas bonus for agents after the Budget?
Late November & December are notoriously tricky trading months - but this year could be different if Rachel Reeves decides to ditch the dreaded SDLT, writes the Glentree boss.
Property industry reactions: Tories pledge to ‘abolish’ Stamp Duty
Stamp Duty is 'a bad tax, an un-Conservative tax', says Kemi Badenoch.
Government proposes the ‘biggest shakeup to the homebuying system in this country’s history’
Consultations have opened into significant & wide-ranging reforms that promise to 'rewire a chaotic system which has become a barrier to homeownership.'
OnTheMarket: Consumer confidence in UK housing market ‘remains robust’
Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, the property portal's latest sentiment index finds buyers, sellers and renters in upbeat mood - though many doubt the government will meet its housing goals.
Influential committee calls for ‘major reform of the whole property tax system’
'The case for major reform of the whole property tax system – from Stamp Duty Land Tax to Inheritance Tax to Council Tax and VAT – is almost unarguable,' says Sir Vince Cable.
Council Tax revaluation ‘not on our agenda’, says Housing Secretary
Reports suggest one of the many rumoured November tax hikes is not under real consideration by the Treasury.
Paperwork, penalties & PRS pain: What can we expect from Westminster’s new selective licensing regime?
As applications open, lawyers Emma Chadwick & Stephen Burke run through the background, practicalities & implications of the borough's latest policy - and what landlords & agents need to be actioning now.
12 ‘new town’ sites identified; works to start on three before the next election
Of the dozen identified sites, Whitehall believes Tempsford, Crews Hill & Leeds South Bank 'look most promising.'
London’s affordable housing target could be cut to boost housebuilding – report
City Hall said to be considering lowering the 35% goal for fast-track planning to kick-start more development in the capital.
UK’s ‘flawed’ housing system costing economy over £1.5bn a year – Santander
Bank calls for major reform of 'antiquated' homebuying process as new research reveals over half a million transactions fail annually.